Thursday, December 29, 2011

The economics of writing poetry are unfortunate. Most journals don’t pay poets for their poems. Most journals don’t make money. Most of the time all the poet gets is a free contributor’s copy. No complaints here. Though when I say most journals don’t pay what I mean they don’t pay money. Those journals, and there are many, pay with respect for the writer and the work. I’ve been thrilled to have my poems in many of them and even continue to support those journals with a subscription. But recently I’ve had a poem appear in an anthology, Wait a Minute, I Have to Take Off My Bra, that's taking advantage of the writer’s who made the book possible. I was happy to let them publish my poem, didn’t even occur to me that I should be paid. When I saw the book was being sold on Amazon I sent them an email asking when I could expect a contributor’s copy. Their reply, it would be months before they sent contributors' copies, and this was followed by an email saying that I could buy books at a discount. Hmmm, they have time to sell the book but don’t have time for the people who made the book possible. Sending contributor’s copies shouldn’t be a troubling chore when it’s the only form of payment. The book has been selling for months. If and when they send a contributor’s copy I’ll let you know. Let’s start a pool and see how long it takes. I’ll send the book to whoever gets closest.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Two of my poems, "The Cenotaph" and "The New," are up at the Disquieting Muses Quarterly. Click here: www.dmqreview.com/11Fall/index2.html and it'll take you to the table of contents. From there simply click on my name. Hope you like the poems.

a little about me

I'm a poet, freelance ad guy, writer, and photographer. I worked for 14 years in the L.A. office of DDB as an associate creative director. I also teach poetry at UCLA Extension; and when I’m not teaching there I teach copywriting at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. Previously, I taught copywriting at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena for 25 semesters, and at Otis College of Art for 3. My professional life as an ad guy is pretty intense and limits teaching to one night week, though I really enjoy it. I've been lucky in the advertising world and have managed to win many awards including a Gold Pencil from the One Show and a Cannes Lion. My first full-length book of poetry, The Soup of Something Missing, published by Bear Star Press, and The Invention of Fiction, my chapbook was published Hollyridge Press. Sarabande Books published my second full-length book, Death Obscura! My next book, I'm No Longer Troubled By the Extravagance, will be published by BOA next year.

My UCLA Extension Class

interviews

Poeticdiversityinterviewed me a while back. You'll also find an interview, and I'm using the word interview carelessly, on Alexis Orgera's The Bog Poetic.

Beth Spencer of Bear Star Press interviewed me for her blog. Take a look.

Advertising Portfolio

Take a look.

Commercial from the Super Bowl

This is a commercial I wrote that appeared on the Super Bowl and won advertising awards around the world, and is in the premanent collection of a museum. In a special on television commercials, CBS said it was the fourth funniest Super Bowl commerical of all time. Another network said it was the second funniest commercial of the year.